Thursday, December 29, 2011

The phrase “under the law” reads in the Greek as simply “under law” or the Jews.

In current parlance, “under the law” carries with it a sense of being oppressed by a heavy thumb of the law on the scale of justice. Here the thumb is not public/governmental, but particular/religious.

In this later sense, an article about law and adoption is in today's New York Times. It appears the Roman Catholic bishops have closed Catholic Charity affiliates rather than comply with a new Illinois state requirement that they include same-sex couples for consideration as potential foster-care and adoptive parents.

The article contains the self-pity of, “In the name of tolerance, we’re not being tolerated.” Additionally there is the wonderful contortion of, “It’s true that the church doesn’t have a First Amendment right to have a government contract, but does have a First Amendment right not to be excluded from a contract based on its religious beliefs.” Why such silliness is not reported as such and simply left to muddy the waters is a journalistic mystery, but there we have it.

These self-serving apologies are especially egregious in light of this reported data: “Catholic Charities affiliates received a total of nearly $2.9 billion a year from the government in 2010, about 62 percent of its annual revenue of $4.67 billion. Only 3 percent came from churches in the diocese (the rest came from in-kind contributions, investments, program fees and community donations).”

This may be a kernel a sermon to be built around as we are still in the season of Joseph’s adoption of Jesus, the affirmation of Simeon, the universality of salvation, and the limitlessness of inclusivity. Just be sure to note your own denomination's hypocrisy, will to power.

Ahh, fullness of time. It’s about time. Do you sense time’s fullness in your life?

We might also talk about the birthing of time. A whole new continuum has been birthed with the choices we make. These choices begin to set up a whole new set of relationships with the rest of creation. Want to adopt a new future, adopt a new choice.

I just picked up a new book, The Jewish Annotated New Testament edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler. Another way to approach this is the reflection on verse 6.

6: Spirit of his son, Paul distinguishes between Christ and God but not between the Spirit and Christ. In the fourth century the Nicene Creed distinguished God the Father, God the Son (Christ), and God the Spirit. This Trinitarian conception is unknown to Paul and is barely attested in the NT. Abba! Father. Rabbinic theology, following biblical precedent, often conceived of God as father and Israel as son or sons. Still, although rabbinic prayer were sometimes directed to “our father in heaven” or “our father our king”, no rabbinic prayers invoke God as Abba, which affects a level of intimacy with the divine that made the rabbis uncomfortable. [references to rabbinic works and scripture deleted]

Can you read the New Testament without foisting later conceptual models on it, including your own? While helpful to see how others have dealt with the imponderables of life, there is a freshness available when we have to deal with source material as itself.

I was also intrigued with their observation that the first verses of chapter 4 suggest we are moving on to adulthood, maturity, and in but a few verses the metaphor shifts to being adopted. Try playing with verses 1-2 in comparison with verses 4-5 and see what fits your experience of yourself and your setting.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The New Interpreter’s Bible reflects: “While the songs of praise generally push toward universality (see Pss 67:1-7; 100:1; 103:20-22; 117:1;...), Psalm 148 takes inclusivity to the limit, surpassing even the final climactic verse of the psalter (150:6). The inclusivity of the invitation to praise God has profound implications that demonstrate the inseparability of theology and ecology....”

And the question of the day: Is there a limit to inclusivity?

If “yes”, what is it?

If “no”, why do we keep playing the same discriminatory games against people and creation?

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

For what will you refuse to remain silent? For what will you not rest?

As we move toward a low attendance Sunday we are reminded of a key institutional issue, heirarchy - which is to say, let the preacher do our faith for us. After all, we pay for the privilege of avoiding zeal. Oh, we can get exercised about the way someone else’s idea won the day on the color of the kitchen or the time of holiday services, but on the big justice issues, the national issues, the world issues - we play the “I don’t know” card or the false balance of there being at least one point on both sides.

Yes, rejoice for the blessings that have come your way. But an even bigger Yes needs to go to the use of such blessings to increase blessings for all, commonwealth for all. To settle for personal rejoicing in the face of such great need is an abomination and we don’t hear much about abomination in a Christmas season.

If you have a sense of salvation for yourself and keep it there, it will slide away quickly enough.

Will you speak out for Mary and women this week? For children after their birth?

Monday, December 26, 2011

What’s the right time to move toward purity/justice? The right time to be dedicated to larger visions?

Are you going to wait for New Year’s midnight plus a minute? How about another 40 days for purification, which would take us to Groundhog Day 2012? [What would happen if Mary presented herself for purification and she didn’t cast a shadow?]

Poor Mary, here to be purified and instead of that being the biggie we have Simeon and Anna butting in to talk about Jesus. Even after the ceremony is done, it is not talked about in terms of a new start for Mary to look toward more teen pregnancies but the focus is on Jesus growing strong and wise. The favor that was Mary’s is transferred to Jesus, just like that - ahh, patriarchy.

In Luke we find other details overlooked - the redemption of the firstborn (5 shekels) as well as a reference to the cost of betrayal (30 pieces of silver).

These details aside, a question remains about what rituals you see as important enough to go out of your way to fulfill? Would you have stayed on in Bethlehem for 40 days? It was probably out of the question to walk back to Nazareth and to return to Jerusalem in that time. Did Joseph have enough saved up? What did he do about jobs carpentry jobs previously contracted? Do any of these practical questions have anything to do with anything?

At any rate, Luke seems to not know all the rituals required for birthing. Even without them, blessings from Simeon and Anna come forth. Note the blessings that arise in your life even when not following the straight and narrow. You might almost think that G*D is about being a prodigal blesser. And your image of G*D; your being in G*D’s image?

Thursday, December 22, 2011

The first 3-1/2 verses here are Christmasy, the rest might be considered a thought experiment gone awry.

G*D spoke to our ancestors, directly and through prophets. G*D speaks still directly and through prophets.

G*D’s speakings are revealed by reflections of G*D. We have one of those reflections in a manger scene. When we look in the manger, what do we see?

How wonderful to see back to creation now recapitulated in a new born. How wonderful to see back to Jesus who trained to further reveal and reflect G*D. How wonderful to see ourselves reflected in a baby’s eyes and responses.

To leave nature out of revelation, doesn’t work. To leave a reflection of G*D out of our experience, doesn’t work. To leave ourselves out of Christmas or any other thin-time, doesn’t work.

Imagine you are a reflection of G*D’s presence. This will bring Christmas to many all through the year.

Imagine you are an exact imprint of G*D’s very being or might becomes such. This will give courage and strength to train well that it might be so.

One way to get at this is to reflect on a verse now omitted from O Little Town of Bethlehem (between now popularized 3rd and 4th verses). How would “church” be different if this was a key verse to sing at Christmas?

Where children pure and happy
Pray to the Blessed Child
Where misery cries out to Thee
Son of the Undefiled
Where Charity stands watching
And Faith holds wide the door
The dark night wakes the glory hearts
And Christmas comes once more

Prophecy continues. What we do in dark nights wakens hearts and, voila, Christmas!

Christmas comes to call us away from the duality of spirit and flesh, G*D and self, sacred and secular. Christmas calls us to do our part, to give our heart.

The first two verses seem appropos of Christmas while the last two come out of some post-birth story speculative theology.

Let’s focus on verse 12. How is the church training us to renounce foolish theologizing, the real impiety, and indulgent living? These are parallel terms - the impiety of self-indulgence. But back to the question, do you sense that there is any training, education, progress being made in clarifying deep values revealing G*D as our goal?

To move in this direction there needs to be a structure to our movement ahead, our training toward an end. How do we help one another bring together living upright lives and being filled with G*D until there is no way of telling which came first? How do we practice honoring G*D and N**ghb*r and S*lf? These are day-in/day-out issues that take personal discipline and communal support as well as correction.

Without training we fall prey to the strangest of proclamations. Here is a secular example of lying about reality and shading issues for short-term gain [Palestine's imagined identity]. Without training we imagine identities that aren’t there. This is anti-Christmas behavior, untrained behavior.

Christmas, the grace of G*D appeared, brings a picture of wholeness to all without artificially defining some people out. We are beckoned to draw nigh for hope refreshment and encouraged to now take this moment and grow it in ever wider circles within ourself and within the world. This is more than singing Silent Night in candlelight. It means we will commit ourselves to live-long training in living tomorrow today.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Here is a most marvelous thing: G*D has remembered to steadfastly love and to be faithful.

While these two characteristics are closely aligned and often in parallel with one another, it is important to know that they have significant differences. For instance, there are numerous examples of G*D (and thus creatures) having been steadfast in love while turning a back. Likewise G*D has stood by folks even while cursing them.

In this season of light with Star and Candles and Yule Log we rejoice whenever and wherever we see in others or ourself a remembrance of steadfast love and faithfulnees joined again.

Victory here is not in vindication, but in a new beginning, a resynthesis of steadfast love and faithfulness. May you be a part of such in your particulars.

Sing to your N**ghb*r a new song;
sing to your N**ghb*r where’er they be.
Sing to your N**ghb*r, bless them;
tell of their wholeness available this day.
Declare their worth among the human family,
their good works to others.
Great is your N**ghb*r, and greatly to be praised;
they are to be revered.
For discrimination among people is an idol,
but N**ghb*rs are part of paradise.
Honor and worthiness are in your N**ghb*r;
strength and beauty reveal their security.
Bravo for your N**ghb*rs, they are family,
Huzzah for your N**ghb*r’s presence and joy.
Hooray for your N**ghb*r filled with glory;
share with them, listen to them.
Be in awe of your N**ghb*r;
rejoice with them in this time and space.
Say aloud, “My N**ghb*r, my friend! Our relationship is firmly established;
we support and correct one another in equity.”
Let the air be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea shout, and all that fills it.
let animals of the field exult.
In sign of all this the trees of the forest will sing for N**ghb*rs.
N**ghb*rs are gathering, gathering for discerning action.
N**ghb*rs act with dignity to one another - G*D smiles.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

We have been sold for nothing. It seems like we have arrived where we are by the most natural process available. Little by little we have come to today and we can’t figure out how it happened, it must have been nothing, just happenstance, and who can argue with that.

As importantly, the only way out of our present perdicament is as equally mysterious as nothing. On the farthest horizon a whisper of a messenger who seems to be taking such tiny steps in our direction. For the longest time an approach seems so slow. Little by little we catch advance echoes calling us out - “Depart, depart.”

Where we thought we were stuck, we find it was a wraithful illusion. We don’t go out in haste, but one deliberate choice after another choice deliberately made. We have heard, “Depart, depart”.

Though hard to hear, we found trust available. We have seen the courage of others before and around us. We sense a new wisdom rising in the next generation. Between these we are encouraged to think a new thought, even though threatened.

All that is said about a suffering servant could be said about you and me.

For now we simply focus on knowing this current situation cannot be defined as normative. We are called to, “Depart, depart.” No more retribution. Rather, the blessed will lead others to their own blessedness. May you so lead and light a new way.

A burden is not only personal, but corporate. Whole peoples have been oppressed by an iron hand of the market. Whether a single person or 99% of them, being burdened is a sure sign of inequity and such always falls, soon or late.

While we sometimes get caught thinking we need some wonderful counselor, mighty god, etc. to defeat such a huge system, it is important to be able to see a crack in the juggernaut (the huge nothing - no not the official derivation) that can be dealt with by a child - even a child such as yourself. Each of us is a sign of the times. As we choose justice and trustworthiness, we brighten the light available to see where else we might choose a better way.

May you unwrap the present that is you. May your authority grow continually. May peace expand through your choices.

The universal is always becomeing the particular, and vice versa. This interpenetration of life with life is one in which we are participants. So it is, we are to identify with being light to one another - love your N**ghb*r as you love Y**rs*lf and one another and especially enemies.

Believe it or not, the universal Word has become your Flesh. While Brother Ass, our flesh, gets us around, we are to be more than asses. From before and after, we are smack dab in the middle of transformation of energy to matter and matter to energy (Word to Flesh and Flesh to Word).

There is trouble brewing when this is not acknowledged. There is blessing aplenty when it is.

Everyone is registered somewhere because that is the nature of our lives. The registration may be something we thrive in or not.

Here we hear of an angelic messenger announcing a birth. If we only had the ears to hear, we would hear such an announcement at every birth. It is our willful disregard of the value of each person, both at birth and long afterward, that grows out of past communal decisions and keeps them rolling past their time. Eventually this shows up as one inequity or another.

May we have the courage of our ancestors, including Mary and Joseph and guardians of the flock. May we have the wisdom of our descendants.

These are gifts given to us, far more significant than gold, etc., and we can only wonder at how often they are ignored while in plain sight.

A mystery known as Jesus is now revealed for purposes of “Obedient trust” - a fine example of an oxymoron (from the Greek for “pointedly foolish”) and such a small end.

Advent is a participation in a mystery at one and the same time already accomplished and just over the horizon. Our work is to find applications of prophecy applied to our present circumstance. These are not altogether clear or they wouldn’t be prophecies, but common sense. We are to be playing loyal oppositionist to our own proclivities as well as a status quo which extends privileges to the already privileged, in perpetuity.

Advent pays less attention to special cases, such as a manger scene, and more to the usual cases wherein we find ourselves distanced from ourselves and one another while pretending glad tidings and great joy - obedient but not trusting.

Advent moves us away from mundane obedience and toward the glory of trust. However this requires that we remember to keep focused on what has yet to be disclosed - and this is very difficult as we keep trying to figure out how to make obedience redound to our benefit and still remain open to our being a part of the revealed rather than it simply being an extension of ourself.

Advent gives us something worthwhile to chew on while living out a trust beyond our singularity.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Blessed are you who believe there will be a fulfillment of what is spoken to you by G*D, the Universe.

What have your heard? This is important - what have you heard? We can’t go further until you identify what you have heard. Do you hear how important hearing is? It is the beginning that will require cycles of work and rest.

Thank you for listening and trusting it to be true.

Thank you for also recognizing the danger inherent with listening to voices. Blessings on your discernment.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Pastors today are the equivalent of the king, living in static property while recognizing that the power of G*D resides in movable tents and the poverty of a manger. These two worlds have a most difficult time interacting. Priest does not mingle well with prophet.

G*D seems to have the same temptations to grandeur that we do. Basically G*D says, “Well, yes, I wouldn’t mind having a few comforts after another 6 “days” of work manipulating things for my people and smiting others. A little R&R wouldn’t hurt. Having a pay-off for all this hard work would show those other gods who’s top God.” And so G*D won’t take a “house” from David, but Solomon - that’s a different story. There is no explaining this decision.

Advent is a time to sort through our values: A moving G*D living with the poor and scattering holiness? A settled God expecting folks to come to a holy place? Advent asks us to discern what is behind our questions and to say “No” to the established trappings of success.

I’m still waiting for a creche that will have dung on the floor, holes in Joseph’s sandals, no halos, special magi, shepherds with light-saber crooks, and Mary in wrinkled garb with no eye-liner. This is where a living G*D might visit without getting loaded down with expectations.

Monday, December 12, 2011

“Favor” here is but another way of saying “Grace”. It is not so much what Mary or you or I have or have not done. Being grace-full is a gift. This gift is available to all and today and brings new life beyond all expectation of life.

When it happens to you (or again to you) I expect you wonder, “How can this happen to such as myself, particularly knowing how far from ideal I have been.” Such is my experience when grace and favor and new beginnings have come my way.

And so we simultaneously shift into two gears - non-attachment and deep-attachment - Here I am; let it be; onward.

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Rejoice, Anticipate, Give - these are ways G*D is revealed and drawn near to.

These qualities of relating keep one grounded and flying high.

Rejoice in opportunities available, even in the most dire of situations. Even Uncle Sol was able to start a worm farm in his demise.

Anticipate an unceasing flow of time. Regardless of how erratic time is, our engagement with it continues. We cast an eye ahead and translate what we see into our work of this day.

Give. Yes, thanks, but ever so much more as well. Give energy where you sense spirit is loosening the grip of the past. Give heed to questions of a current system thinking it is the culmination of creation and claiming there is only fear and chaos beyond current limits of our thinking. A G*D of peace is also a G*D moving ahead for the violence of today is not a good place to rest.

Test everything. Particularly test the tried and true.

Advent is practice time for breathing in (keeping a gleam in your eye), engaging processes of change, and breathing out (participating in the potlatch jubilee of life).

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

good news to the oppressed
liberty to captives
healing the heartbroken
release of prisoners
a year of grace
destruction of enemies
comfort for mourners

If, as in verse 9, our enemies will know us as blessed, why their destruction before their enlightenment?

Is there a breaking down of a wall of enmity through an expansion of blessing rather than running a tank through it? How might that look in your life? I know it will take some work in mine and would say this is Advent work on the ground before we can recognize what we have been looking for.

So, having been given a garland of flowers, we respond by following a bespangled E.E. Cummings and passing them on:

One winter afternoon
(at the magical hour
when is becomes if)
a bespangled clown
standing on eighth street
handed me a flower.
Nobody,it’s safe
to say,observed him but
myself;and why?because
without any doubt he was
whatever(first and last)
mostpeople fear most:
a mystery for which i’ve
no word except alive
—that is,completely alert
and miraculously whole;
with not merely a mind and a heart
but unquestionably a soul-
by no means funereally hilarious
(or otherwise democratic)
but essentially poetic
or etherally serious:
a fine not a coarse clown
(no mob, but a person)
and while never saying a word
who was anything but dumb;
since the silence of him
self sang like a bird.
Most people have been heard
screaming for international
measures that render hell rational
—i thank heaven somebody’s crazy
enough to give me a daisy

Monday, December 05, 2011

If the criterion is being a witness able to testify to what you have experienced as a source of meaning, anyone and everyone can be identified as sent by G*D. The worth and dignity of every person grows from this seed of integrity between the courage to trust experience and the strength to share this truth in the midst of other truths.

This is a measure of one’s own way in the world, not another’s. When we remember and participate in our journey, there is not a need to judge another in relation to our journey, but for an encouragement of them to engage their own journey. What is a next step for one is not a universal.

A further measure of our way in the world is the clarity between what our experience is and what we make of it (our belief).

So, who are you? You can’t be measured against any other model. You can be measured against what you hear - “Make a better way.”

Thursday, December 01, 2011

When the expectation of a quick eschaton fails to appear - there needs to be an explanation. So it is that we hear about the mutability of time. Somewhere between today and a millenium from now, what we believe will actually become what happens. So strong is belief that it will look to change the very structure of creation and demand the impossible.

So it is not that G*D lost the track on an endless plain of no valley nor mountain, it is that that G*D has deliberately not asked the way so you can have sufficient time to repent, since you obviously haven’t yet gotten it right or G*D would have come. It can’t be that we got the start of Paradise re-entered wrong (that it will come when G*D is good and ready) or that we misunderstood our part in Paradise (claiming its presence through our interactions). No, the delay is intentional so we can get right with G*D.

If we take the justification of G*D and time out of our calculus, it will become clearer that we just don’t want to take on the principalities and power, to hone ourselves against them, and reshape our current time and circumstance into a desired Paradise. It is so much easier to await some future change done to us. So we claim a delay in Paradise is G*D oriented, when it more accurately is about our delay, not some patience of G*D.

Advent is not just four weeks before Christmas or some indeterminate time before an eschaton. Advent is our present opportunity to incarnate Paradise. Whether hinted at or embodied in wholeness, Paradise is our goal, not just a moment known as Christmas.

About Me

We bring Progressive Christian celebrative and educational events to Wisconsin that the expansive love of GOD will be clear for all to experience. Please visit our Kairos CoMotion website for more information. ///// We have been nurtured in the United Methodist tradition and practice our tradition of bringing together "acts of piety" and "acts of mercy". ///// Click Here to signup to receive the postings here as they are made. ///// We appreciate your presence and support. ///// We have 10 years of postings organized by Book, Chapter, and Verse - you are welcome to browse.